NFL legend Steve Gleason has offered a deeply personal update on his ALS journey as he marked the 20th anniversary of the iconic blocked punt that helped define his career with the New Orleans Saints.
Gleason was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2011. The progressive disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and he has now spent 15 years living with its effects.
His most famous moment came after Hurricane Katrina, when Gleason blocked a punt that set up the Saints’ first touchdown inside the Superdome. He was diagnosed with ALS four years after making the final appearance of his NFL career.
Reflecting on the milestone Friday, Gleason said the significance of that play had become even more profound, telling supporters that he “would be dead” without it.
Speaking to WDSU, he said: ‘Our family, our friends, our caregivers, this city. They are my life. I won’t try to tell you what this anniversary means to each of them.
“For me, it’s a reminder that I’m still here with them. Still a father. Still loving and being loved,” Gleason said. “I say this in my book, that if I didn’t block that punt, I’d be dead.
NFL icon Steve Gleason shared an emotional update on his battle with ALS on Friday afternoon
“That moment connected my life to New Orleans in a way that I never could have planned. When the ALS came, this community showed up for us.
“Twenty years later, I feel that love. I’m grateful to be here for whatever comes next.”
The Saints also commemorated the anniversary by posting video of Gleason’s unforgettable block, describing the play as an event that “signaled the rebirth of a city.”
Gleason continued to raise awareness for the ALS community in July, taking part in a “butt naked” Ice Bucket Challenge to support fellow patient Chris Johnson.
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He completed the challenge outdoors alongside author Brian Jeansonne, who is also living with ALS.
The two men took part from their wheelchairs, with towels covering their laps for obvious reasons.
“For those wondering, yes, we are both butt a** naked and will be able to feel this,” Jeansonne said through a computer. “But do not worry, we won’t flinch.”
When the buckets of ice water were dumped over them, one towel briefly slipped and exposed Gleason before a family member quickly stepped in to preserve his privacy.
Gleason’s message came only days after former Tennessee Titans star Chris Johnson discussed his own ALS battle, shortly after turning 41 on Wednesday.
Speaking from his wheelchair with the assistance of an eye-controlled speech-generating tablet, Johnson said ALS had taken away his physical independence while leaving his mind clear.
Gleason is best known for his time with the Saints before his ALS diagnosis in 2011
Steve Gleason (L) and friend Brian Jeansonne (R) did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
“ALS has taken away a lot of my independence,” he told People. “As a father, your first instinct is to protect your kids. You don’t want them to be scared or feel like their whole world is changing.”
Asked about the most difficult aspect of the disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2025 and publicly revealed to ABC earlier this year, Johnson highlighted the emotional and psychological toll it has taken.
‘Having your mind still completely there,’ he said, ‘while your body stops doing things you’ve done your entire life.
‘I still hear everything,’ he continued. ‘I understand everything. I still joke, think, make decisions, get frustrated and want to be included in conversations about my own life. ALS may change what my body can do, but it hasn’t changed who I am at my core.’
